Friendships formed in church lead regular church goers to feel more satisfied with their lives.
A new study shows it’s not only the social aspect of church or only spirituality that increases happiness, but the combination of the two. Church goers are happier when they become friends with fellow church goers who also have a strong religious identity.
“It is neither faith nor communities, per se, that are important, but communities of faith,” the report states. “For life satisfaction, praying together seems to be better than either bowling together or praying alone.”
Source: American Sociological Review, “Religion, Social Networks, and Life Satisfaction,” December 2010
